Industry News & Industry

The new year may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean it's close to being over. If you want to make 2016 your most profitable year, here are 5 tips to help get you started.

1. Get organized and learn to delegate.

Set time aside for marketing and prospects. It's not realistic to cram all your marketing into the half-day time slot you have available. Share your ideas, make plans and delegate to coworkers. It’s also tough to cram all your recruiting phone calls into one day (because let's be honest, you'll have 10 other things pop up!). You're better off taking time out of each day to make these calls. It can be helpful to work in time blocks.

2. Be prepared.

Trying to "wing it" is never a good idea, especially if you have a valuable list of leads. Take the time to figure out a way to really get these prospects' attention. It is essential to get creative and stand out from your competition.

3. Learn from experience.

If you didn't meet your goals last year, what went wrong? You live and you learn. Make sure you take the time to learn from your mistakes. Be honest with yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses. Look back at 2015 and review what worked and what did not. Make the necessary changes or keep doing what you're doing.

4. Capitalize on every opportunity.

Can you breathe new opportunity into an old one? Or did you miss out on closing a sale? What went wrong, and what can you do to change? The importance of connections cannot be emphasized enough, continue to get involved and grow your network.

5. Review last year’s activities.

Identify the top 2-3 activities that worked well for you last year and approve upon them even more. But at the same time try something new. It's important to evolve and develop in this industry. Never forget your current clients and always build upon the relationships you have with them. It's vital to customize your client's need and connect with their visions and values.

7 Success Tips for Financial Advisors

What is success? How do I achieve it? Albert Schweitzer once said: "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." It's hard not to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Here are 7 tips on what you should try and accomplish each day to make yourself a happy and more successful YOU.

1. Visionary — It’s important take steps forward. When you walk or run, you typically do so going forward. Always read, listen and learn what your field or industry is doing right now and where it’s going in the future.

2. Take a Step Back — Think about driving a car. Sometimes you have to put your car in reverse before you put it into drive. Taking steps backward to eventually go forward is something we all must do at some point. Often times you can look back at an accomplishment and see where taking a step back led you to succeed.

3. Reward Yourself — Do this often! You can get into a routine of working and going through the daily motions of living and never do anything for yourself. Set goals or schedule things just for yourself. This can be enjoying a favorite meal, event or something around your home or business. Pick up that hobby you never have time for, that good book on the shelf or the car you’ve always wanted to drive.

4. Never Stop Learning ­— This is something that will help in business and in your personal life. Napoleon Hill once said: "What the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve." Your mind should always be open to learning and experiencing what the world has to offer. Look back at your life and see how much it has changed. Rules and technology are constantly changing, so make sure you never fall behind.

5. Be Healthy — You need to be both physically and mentally healthy. Make time in your day for a physical activity. This can be done at a gym or by walking farther to your car, office or copy machine. Combine your physical and mental health by listening to something pertaining to your business or interests when you’re participating in physical activity. Engage your mind. Put your dreams to work. Learn and grow by experiencing new ideas.

6. Improve Your Social Health — Develop relationships. Make a commitment to your spouse, children and loved ones to spend time together. This can be done daily during meal time or a family game night or event. Share your day and laugh together. Do not be afraid to share a problem or cry. Extend this to others in the course of your day also. Thank the person who waits on your table at lunch. Treat the office staff to coffee, bagels or donuts. You never know when your kind gesture will help someone dealing with something personal in their own life.

7. Dealing with Life Obstacles — To succeed in business and the personal part of your life it’s important to find ways to navigate through both the prosperous and the difficult times. Ultimately, this will make you both successful and stronger.

10 Steps to Make Your Office More Comfortable and Productive

Your office is much more than just a place where business happens. For you and your employees, it’s where you spend the bulk of your time. For clients, it’s where some of life’s most important decisions are made. So it needs to be a place where everyone feels welcome and comfortable and encourages them think clearly. To make your office a friendlier, more productive environment, follow these 10 easy steps:

1. Make it Inviting

Have an inviting, comfortable office for those who spend a good part of their day there, and those coming in as clients or potential clients. The saying: "People judge on first impressions" is often times very true. Have plants, candy and seasonal decorations as part of your office decor. Also have current magazines and newspapers in the waiting room for those waiting to see you.

2. Reflect Your Likes and Comfort

Make your office and work space comfortable. I'm sure you have a favorite chair at your home in a room filled with personal effects. Do the same in your office space. It should reflect your likes and comforts. Keep your space organized and have pictures of family or favorite places you have visited. If you have a favorite pet or hobby include those also, anything that makes spending hours in that space comfortable and motivational.

3. Get Organized

Organize your working space. This makes you more efficient at your responsibilities and also shows organization to others as well. In the same way you have a spot for clothes at home, all of your tools needed to do your job to the best of your ability should have their own spot.

4. Open the Lines of Communication

It is extremely important to be as good as you can in different forms of communication. In this world of social media, you should be open minded to developing skills to communicate with different ages of people you come in contact with in the course of the day. If you have older people who are used to a phone call, that is great. With cell phones it is easier than ever to keep in touch not only during business hours but in your free hours also. If e-mailing or texting a request works better, be open to using that form as communication as well.

5. Make it Easy to Multitask

To be good at multitasking makes you a more efficient person, saves time, and makes you feel like you are really accomplishing things as you go through the day. This ties in with being organized. If you have the time, make a list of things you did not get done that day, so that is what takes priority the next day. Do not be hesitant to pat yourself on the back for all you did accomplish that day. Think ahead when planning phone calls, trips to the copier or fax machine — it can save steps that could be used for an extra few minutes for yourself or to help others.

6. Stay Positive

Develop a positive attitude in all aspects of your life. From the time you get up to start the day, plan on enjoyment, laughing, accomplishing as much as possible, helping others — whether that is a co-worker, family member or friend. This kind of attitude makes you a strong, caring person and good at everything you do, and that will reflect to others.

7. Put Your Brand on Display

Have professional looking documents for advertising. In today's world people are busy. They are not going to spend time looking for your company. This integrates with communication and outreach to clients and potential clients. Have a business logo that is eye appealing, something that people can use to connect your name and business. Give people all the different ways they can get into contact with you: Address, Phone Number, Website, Email Address, Social Media Sites, etc. Have it standard on all stationary, fax cover sheets, brochures, signs, etc.

8. Welcome New Ideas

Treat yourself and co-workers well. Encourage those you work with to share ideas and suggestions. A suggestion box, a weekly lunch meeting and an open door policy all work for different types of people. Some do not feel comfortable voicing their suggestions. Others like to do so in numbers. And some are confident enough to come to you one on one. The important thing here is to take all suggestions seriously. If someone in your organization thinks enough to take time to come to you in any manner, make them feel appreciated.

9. Reward Yourself and Others

This is extremely important. Schedule an office lunch or activity for no reason other than appreciation of everyone's efforts. Pass out gift cards to a favorite lunch spot. Have a drawing to pass out tickets to an event. Depending on the size of your organization, encourage teams to get involved in a company project or a community project. Encourage people to use their interests, talents, and skills.

10. Follow a Procedure

Letting the day happen in any organization is nonproductive. You should always have procedures in place and the technology and equipment to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. In all facets of business, things happen to steer you off course some days. When you go into the day with a plan of action, you have a much better chance of accomplishing your goals throughout the day.

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